PEW Research Center: Distrust, Discontent, Anger of the People Toward Government at All Time High

 

THE PERFECT STORM OF WE THE PEOPLE’s DISCONTENT …

From the PEW Research Center, 22% polled say they can trust the government in Washington almost always or most of the time. This is one of the lowest measures in half a century. 19% says they are “basically content” with the federal government.

By almost every conceivable measure Americans are less positive and more critical of government these days. A new Pew Research Center survey finds a perfect storm of conditions associated with distrust of government – a dismal economy, an unhappy public, bitter partisan-based backlash, and epic discontent with Congress and elected officials.

Rather than an activist government to deal with the nation’s top problems, the public now wants government reformed and growing numbers want its power curtailed. With the exception of greater regulation of major financial institutions, there is less of an appetite for government solutions to the nation’s problems – including more government control over the economy – than there was when Barack Obama first took office.

Although Congress approval ratings are at record lows, Obama does not get off the hook either by those polled. Only 40% say that Obama is doing a good job as President.

While job ratings for the Obama administration are mostly negative, they are much more positive than the ratings for Congress; 40% say the administration does an excellent or good job while just 17% say the same about Congress.

This does not bode well for the party in power or any one on the anger political hit list. Maybe Bill Clinton would like to revise his prediction?



If you liked this post, you may also like these:

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  • ABC News/WAPO Poll: Dissatisfaction With Washington Hits 19 Year High
  • Americans Completely Distrust Their Government … 19% Say They Trust the Government Always or Most of the Time
  • The Lawrence “Summer’s of Discontent”
  • Hillary Clinton Proposed Loosening Restrictions on Marijuana in to Create High Voting Electorate




  • Comments

    2 Responses to “PEW Research Center: Distrust, Discontent, Anger of the People Toward Government at All Time High”

    1. NewGirlBoston on April 19th, 2010 12:03 pm

      Suppose you could plug me into the mainstream in that I’m with the 80% who absolutely don’t trust the government….and can you blame us??? I also don’t really trust 80% of the liberal public to be well informed about the things they THINK they believe in. (Take note—the many Trolls posting here lately who don’t have a clue what they are complaining about & resort to cutting & pasting various articles from the internet which mean nothing!)

      Almost everyone is a victim of someone else’s spin, regardless of our political leanings. Make sense?

      The majorities in the survey call Washington too big and too powerful, and say it’s interfering too much in state and local matters. Also noted is about half in the newest survey say they want a smaller government with fewer services, compared with roughly 40 percent who want a bigger government providing more.

      Only twice since the 1950s has public skepticism dipped this deeply — from 1992 to 1995 during which time it hit 17 percent, and 1978 to 1980, bottoming out at 25 percent. The nation was going through economic struggles during both of those periods—as compared to the same situation CURRENTLY UNDER Obama’s first year PLUS in office—despite government porkulus & bailouts—the overall picture has not improved much.

      What does this mean for November Mid-Term elections? The results will be when America steps into the voting booth again…the true tally!

    2. Michelle Smith on April 19th, 2010 4:59 pm

      I am also in that 80 percentile. I do not trust the government. PERIOD!

      We must vote these crooks out of office.

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